Dear Vashon friends, neighbors and fellow voters, right now we have a wonderful opportunity to add some smart, accomplished folks to the Vashon Park District Board of Commissioners. We hope you will join us in voting — and we hope you’ll vote for people who will work for fiscal responsibility; a balanced, community-driven agenda and who will place a high priority on environmental stewardship.

We have been going to the VPD meetings for several years, and our friends are asking who we’re voting for in this election. Here are our choices:

Position 1: Karen Gardener

Position 3: Joshua Weil

Position 5: Scott Harvey

For the first time in many years, we have multiple candidates for all positions and a chance to choose among some very talented people to work on our behalf. The three candidates mentioned above are not aligned with any particular user group — they are generalists, looking at the big picture, rather than advocates for any specific program or project. All of them understand money, management and environmental science.

One of the biggest problems the board has faced is lack of good leadership, and we believe these three people are the best choices for addressing that problem and also the best suited to work together with commissioners Lu-Ann Branch and Doug Ostrom.

We hope you’ll mark up your ballot ASAP, whether you agree with our choices or not, because this is as grassroots as democracy gets, folks.

Here’s to new and energized commissioners, and thanks for your time and attention.

— CC Stone and Janet Quimby